Young smokers turn to noxious ‘rollies’

PREVIOUSLY favoured by the older generation,ang hoon, or loose tobaccoleaves, are gaining popularity amongyoung people as a cheaper alternative tocigarettes.A bag of tobacco leaves – readily availablein supermarkets and conveniencestores – costs as little as $5, enough to fill50 cigarettes or more.But doctors say these roll-your-ownsmokes – commonly known as “rollies” –could be more damaging to the lungs. Unlikemost regular cigarettes, they comewithout filters to block larger smoke particlesfrom entering the lungs.

Users of rollies typically put a wad oftobacco leaves on a small rectangle of paper,which is then rolled into a tube andsmoked from one end.“Without a filter, the smoke will bemore concentrated and this could causegreater irritation to the throat. Over time,this could lead to an even greater risk ofmouth and throat cancer,” said Dr OngKian Chung, a respiratory specialist atMount Elizabeth Medical Centre.

Figures from Singapore Customs showthat the amount of loose tobacco leavessold more than doubled between 2006and last year – from 38,174kg to82,994kg.There are 38 brands of tobacco leavesand prices range from $5 to $15 for about20g, enough for more than 50 rollies.This is much cheaper than paying about$10 for a pack of 20 cigarettes.

Calling it an area for concern, Dr LamPin Min, chairman of the Government ParliamentaryCommittee for Health and anMP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, said: “This disparityin the unit cost may be one reasonwhy younger people, as well as lowincomeearners, are turning to these products. “It may be necessary for the Ministryof Health or Ministry of Finance to reviewand address this disparity.” Imposingappropriate taxes may deter youngpeople from using tobacco leaves, he added.

As things stand now, the cost savingsare a big allure for users like copywriterAlexander Lim, who has been smokingmostly rollies for the past seven years.“Cigarettes are more convenient butthe cost savings from rollies are quite ridiculous,”said the 26-year-old, addingthat a packet of tobacco leaves is good forup to a month of use, versus less than aweek with a packet of cigarettes.

Doctors have warned that rollies couldlead to increased consumption. “Becausethe amount of tobacco is not controlled,users could end up putting more in eachcigarette, even though they are under theimpression that they are smoking thesame number of cigarettes each day,”said Dr Hui Kok Pheng, a respiratory specialistin private practice.“Also because they are cheaper, usersmight be more inclined to increase theirhabit,” added Dr Hui, the former presidentof the Asthma Association of Singapore.

While HPB figures show that the overallproportion of young people who havetried smoking has declined from 26 percent in 2000 to 16 per cent last year, doctorshave seen more patients who suffer from lung disease at a younger age in thepast five to 10 years.Dr Ong said some diagnosed as suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonarydisease now are in their 40s to 50s. In thepast, they were usually diagnosed in their60s to 70s.

“This could be due to more peoplesmoking at an earlier age,” he said. Thedisease is a condition where the airwaysin the lungs become narrowed. Smokingis one of the main causes of the disease.Said Dr Ong: “Young people who beginsmoking at a younger age may bemore vulnerable to the harmful effects astheir lung function is still developing. Inthe long run, this could lead to greaterhealth problems later in life.”

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